Salvia plant named `Balsalmispim&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘Balsalmispim’, characterized by its light violet-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright-compact growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Salvia hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Balsalmispim’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant botanically known as Salvia hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balsalmispim’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in West Chicago during June 2010. The objective of the breeding program was the development of a Salvia cultivar having long-lasting inflorescences for improved garden performance.

The new Salvia hybrid cultivar is a cholchine-induced sport of ‘Balsalmisp’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,054, characterized by its medium violet-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous-compact growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered as a whole plant and selected during January 2011 in a controlled environment in Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since January 2011 in Guadalupe, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balsalmispim’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Light violet-colored flowers;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Vigorous, upright-compact growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily in having a longer inflorescences, larger leaves, abundant pollen, and unexpectantly more inflorescences per plant when grown in the garden, slightly lighter flower color and slightly shorter plant height.

Of the many commercially available Salvia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Indigo Spires’, not patented. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Indigo Spires’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of ‘Indigo         Spires’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have slightly lighter colored         flowers than plants of ‘Indigo Spires’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have larger florets than plants of         ‘Indigo Spires’.

In addition the new cultivar can be compared to ‘Balsalmysty’, concurrently filed application. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balsalmysty’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   4. Plants of the new cultivar are taller than plants of         ‘Balsalmysty’;     -   5. Plants of the new cultivar have slightly lighter colored         flowers than plants of ‘Balsalmysty’; and     -   6. Plants of the new cultivar have longer inflorescences with         more florets per inflorescence than plants of ‘Balsalmysty’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balsalmispim’. The plants were grown in 4.5-inch pots for 8 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given one pinch at transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balsalmispim’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Balsalmispim’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in December 2016 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5-inch pots for 8 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch at transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 66° F. to 70° F. (19° C. to 21° C.) during the day and approximately 58° F. to 62° F. (14° C. to 17° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia hybrid cultivar Balsalmispim. -   Parentage:     -   -   Parent.—‘Balsalmisp’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,054. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 5 to 8 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 42             days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 4 to 8 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Annual, vigorous,             upright-compact growth habit.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 47.5 cm. Width: Approximately 41.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching enhances lateral             branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 2.         -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.             Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 23.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 5.5 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent with short,             appressed hairs. Color of young and mature stems: 146C with             an overlay of N187A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 10. Fragrance: Slight, sage-like. Form:             Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Petiole acute to perpendicular angle to             stem, leaf blade becomes obtuse angle with age. Shape:             Ovate. Margin: Crenate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately             11.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 7.5 cm. Texture             of upper surface: Moderately pubescent with short, fine             hairs. Texture of lower surface: Densely pubescent on             venation only. Color of upper surface of young and mature             foliage: 137A with 139A and venation of 146D. Color of lower             surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 137B with             venation of 146D.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 4.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color:             146D with an overlay of N187A at stem attachment. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balsalmispim’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 4 to 5 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Spikes in verticillaster             arrangement, florets in clusters of nine, not persistent.             Quantity of inflorescences per plant: Approximately 2.             Fragrance: Faint, sweet. Length or height of inflorescence:             Approximately 12.0 cm. Width of inflorescence: Approximately             5.0 cm. Quantity of fully-open flowers per inflorescence:             Approximately 46, two to three per cluster open at one time.         -   Peduncle.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Erect. Length: Approximately 11.0 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with short,             appressed hairs. Color: 146C with an overlay of N187A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Type.—Single, zygomorphic.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Calyx of 138C and petal             portion of N89A.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate, lower lip having three lobes,             base fused. Width: Approximately 1.4 cm. Length:             Approximately 1.0 cm. Depth: Approximately 2.3 cm.         -   Upper lip.—Shape: Hooded. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded.             Length from throat: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.             Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of             pubescence: N89A. Color of inner surface when first and             fully open: N88C. Color of outer surface when first and             fully open: N88C, appears darker due to pubescence color.         -   Lower lip.—Shape of central lobe: Obovate. Margin: Entire.             Apex of central lobe: Emarginate. Apex of lateral lobes:             Rounded. Length from throat of central lobe: Approximately             1.1 cm. Width of central lobe: Approximately 1.4 cm. Length             from throat of lateral lobes: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width of             lateral lobes: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper             surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Color of upper surface when first and fully open:             N88C with N88B. Color of lower surface when first and fully             open: N88D with N88C near margins.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Diameter at             opening: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at base:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of inner surface when first and fully open:             NN155D. Color of outer surface when first and fully open:             NN155D with a faint overlay of N88C.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Tubular. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm.             Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Fused into two lobes. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Upper lobe acute, lower lobe notched. Length:             Approximately 7.0 mm. Width of lobes: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer             surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 144A.             Color of outer surface: 138A with N187A at apex, color             appears lighter due to pubescence.         -   Bracts.—Quantity: One bract located at the base of each             floret cluster. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.             Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner             surface: 144A. Color of outer surface: 138A with N88A on             upper margin and N187A at apex, color appears lighter due to             pubescence.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute             angle. Length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately             0.5 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 138A, color             appears lighter due to pubescence.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per             flower, dorsifixed, strongly curved. Stamen length:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Filament length: Approximately 6.0 mm.             Filament color: NN155D, opaque with an overlay of N88A.             Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Anther color: N92B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             12B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil             length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft,             two-parted. Stigma length: 2.0 mm. Stigma color: N88A. Style             length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Style color: NN155D, opaque             with an overlay of N88A near stigma. Style texture: Glabrous             with a vertical line of feather-like pubescence of N89A             extending from the stigma for approximately 5.0 mm. Ovary             length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: 154D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Salvia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘Balsalmispim’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 